Carriage for rontgen apparatus



Jan. 18, 1938.

M. ANDREI'NI 2,105,961 CARRIAGE FOR RNTGEN APPARATUS Filed Feb. 21,l1935 2 sheets-sheet. 1

Flai

Jan. 18, 1938.

M. ANDRE|N| 2,105,961

CARRIAGE RoR 'RNTGRN APPARATUS Filed Feb. 21, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 2yffa. 5.

Patented Jan. 18, 1938 UNITED `STA'l` Application February 21, 1935,Serial No. 7,605 :in Italy February 23, 1934 5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus forRntgen'radioscopy, radiography and radiotherapeutic treatment, andparticularly in the supporting devices or carriages thereof. Theselatter vcarry the X-ray emission tube, and also according torequirements a iiuorescent screen for radioscopy purposes, a film orplate holder for Xray photographs, or both of these. 'Ihe invention isapplicable to such supporting devices or carriages irrespectively oftheir type, whether for use upon patients when standing or lying down,or for use with stationary objects. In these apparatus the tube is heldin a frameshaped holder in vwhich also a screen lor a photographic plateor film holder may be mounted in such a way that displacement of theassembly in both longitudinal and transverse directions are possible toallow the center of observation or treatment to be brought to any pointwith regard to the patient or object. These displacements are madepossible in the known apparatus by means of `two carriages, one of whichcarries the tube and holder assembly and runs transversely on the othercarriage which is able to perform vertical movements. The carriagesupporting the tube and holder assembly may in some cases be inclined soas to allow oblique radiations on the patients.

The structures built in this manner are very complex and bulky andcomprise numerous parts connected with each other by joints which offerresistance to the desired displacements. They are consequently ratherexpensive, both in first cost and maintenance.

The present invention eliminates these disadvantages and consists inthatthe tube and holder assembly is connected by means of universal jointswith the end of a pivoted. lever system, which is preferablycounterweighted and which is itself universally jointed to a stationarybase cr carriage. By virtue of this mechanism with universal joints, thetube and holder can assume any position and inclination.

This arrangement provides relative transverse displacements of the tubeand holder unit in polar instead of orthogonal co-crdinates; it allowsthe tube to be inclined without altering the parallelism of the twosides of the holder frame carrying the tube and observation orphotographic means, whereby this holder can be made of simpleconstruction.

In one form of the apparatus, the counterweighted lever system comprisesa single bar, having at one of its ends a universal joint connected witha stationary base and at its other (Cl. Z50-34) end another universaljoint to which the tube and helder frame assembly is attached andseparately counterweighted, with regard to this joint.

In a modified arrangement, the lever system comprises four arms arrangedin superposed pairs and forming two articulated parallelograrns,parallel to each other. In this case each arm is connected by auniversal joint to the base and frame so that a higher number ofuniversal joints becomes necessary, but the tube and holder assemblyneed not be counterweighted and the apparatus becomes more stable andmanageable.

In both cases, the apparatus may be adjusted by direct manipulation ofthe tube and holder frame, because this assembly can be broughtdire'ctly from one position to another without appreciable effort.

The counterbalancing may be done in any man- A ner, for example,`bymeans of stationary counterweights or sliding weights operated by cablesand pulleys, or springs may be used instead of weights.

The two above-mentioned constructions are illustrated in the annexeddrawings as applied to an orthoscope apparatus for observing a patientwhile standing.

In said drawings:

Figures 1 and 2 are side and plan views of the single-arm apparatus.

Figs. 3 and 4 represent the same views of the articulated parallelogramapparatus.

In both cases, the Rntgen tube L is mounted in a holder CED of frameshape having telescopic joints E in its arms for enabling it to beenlarged. This assembly forms a -rigid unit connected in the form shownin Figs. l and 2, by means of a universal joint G with an arm Fpivotally connected by means of a universal joint G' to a bracket A of abase A supporting a vertical table B for the standing patient to leanagainst. Ccunterweights I-i' attached to the frame member C on oppositesides of the arm F put the frame and tube L in neutral equilibrium aboutthe point Gr. These weights are adjustable. The arm F is counterbalancedby a weight I-I which also balances the weight of the assembly LCEDcarried by the arm F. The weight I-I also may be adjustable or replacedby a spring.

It will be seen that by means of the two universal joints andcounterweights, the operator can displace the tube and holder in anydirection without appreciable elort.

The side C and the opposite side of the holder remain parallel to eachother for any position given to the assembly. The apparatus is verysimple and inexpensive, is completely rigid with regard to its base, andoffers smooth operation.

In the case of larger apparatus, in which it is necessary to maintain anabsolute precision of all movements, the arrangement represented inFigs. 3 and 4 may be adopted. In this case, the single arm F is replacedby four parallel arms F, each connected by means of a universal joint Gwith the base A, and to the tube and holder assembly CDEL by a universaljoint G. In this case, the counterweights H for the assembly are nolonger necessary as the arms form two articulated parallelogramsensuring parallel displacement of the tube and holder. Thisconstruction, however, requires eight universal joints, as shown inFigs. 3 and 4.

These constructional details can, of course, be altered if need bewithout, however, departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:-

1. A Rntgen tube carriage, comprising a frame with tube holding means inone side thereof, a screen rigidly connected to and carried by saidframe, a base, a lever system comprising a plurality of levers formingmembers of a link parallelogram system, a plurality of universaljointsconnecting said levers at spaced points' to the base, and aplurality of universal joints connecting said levers to the frame, saidlevers being four in number and vertically and horizontally spaced fromeach other and being counterweighted with respect to their joints to thebase.

2. A suspension apparatus for a Rntgen tube holder, comprising a base, alever, a universal joint for mounting said lever intermediate its endson said base, a universal joint on one end of said lever, a Rntgen tubeholder connected by said last-mentioned universal joint to said lever, ascreen rigidly connected to and carried by said tube holder, and acounter-weight on the other end of said lever to maintain said lever inequilibrium in adjusted positions.

3. A suspension apparatus for a Rntgen tube holder, comprising a base, alever, a universal joint for mounting said lever intermediate its endson said base, a universal joint on one end of said lever, a Rntgen tubeholder connected by said last-mentioned universal joint to said lever, ascreen rigidly connected to and carried by said tube holder, acounter-weight on the other end of said lever to maintain said lever inequilibrium in adjusted positions, and means for maintaining said Rntgentube holder in a given position relative to the horizontal during itsdisplacements.

4. A suspension apparatus for a Rntgen tube holder, comprising a base,four levers, a universal joint for mounting each lever intermediate itsends on said base, a universal joint on one end of each lever, a Rntgentube holder connected by said last-mentioned universal joints to saidlevers, a screen rigidly connected to and carried by said tube holder,the universal joints connecting said levers to said base and to saidtube holder being positioned to hold said levers parallel to each otherin the form of edges of a rectangular prism, and means carried by thefree ends of said levers for counter-balancing the weight of the tubeholder to maintain the levers in equilibrium in their adjustedpositions.

5. A suspension apparatus for a Rntgen tube holder, comprising a base, alever, a universal joint for mounting said lever intermediate its endson said base, a universal joint on one end of said lever, a Rntgen tubeholder connected by said last-mentioned universal joint to said lever, ascreen rigidly connected to and carried by said tube holder, acounter-weight on the other end of said lever to maintain said lever inequilibrium in adjusted positions, and counter-Weight means forcounter-balancing the Rntgen tube holder about the universal jointconnecting it to the lever.

MICHELE ANDREINI.

